Gold slips to ₹1,58,928, silver down 0.85% as US-Iran tensions, crude surge weigh
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Gold and silver prices traded lower on Wednesday, 3 June, on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran coupled with a renewed surge in crude oil prices kept investors cautious on bullion. The pullback came even as both metals held near recent highs, reflecting persistent safe-haven demand against a volatile geopolitical backdrop.
Where prices stood
On the MCX, August gold futures were trading 0.26 per cent or ₹418 lower at ₹1,58,928 per 10 grams at around 12:10 pm. The yellow metal touched an intraday high of ₹1,59,740 and a low of ₹1,58,780, after opening the session at ₹1,59,447.
July silver futures slipped 0.85 per cent or ₹2,257 to ₹2,64,450 per kilogram. The white metal hit an intraday high of ₹2,67,495 and a low of ₹2,64,023, against an opening print of ₹2,66,668.
Global cues stay weak
International prices echoed the domestic softness. Spot gold traded 0.54 per cent lower at around $4,460 per ounce, while COMEX gold futures were down nearly 1 per cent at about $4,486 per ounce. Spot silver fell 1 per cent to $74.34 per ounce, with COMEX silver slipping more than 1 per cent to $74.47 per ounce.
Why investors are cautious
Market experts said sentiment was clouded by deepening geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia and the continued rally in crude. Fresh tensions emerged after the US military said attempted Iranian missile strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and other regional locations were either intercepted or unsuccessful, even as diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran reportedly showed limited progress.
Rising crude prices have intensified concerns over global inflation, raising the prospect that major central banks may keep interest rates elevated for longer — a factor that typically weighs on non-yielding assets like gold.
Key technical levels
Commodity analysts said MCX gold continues to show resilience near the ₹1,59,000 mark despite intraday swings. A decisive breakout above ₹1,60,000 could push prices towards ₹1,62,000–1,63,000 per 10 grams, while support is seen around ₹1,58,400–1,58,000.
For silver, ₹2,68,000 remains a critical resistance, with a breakout potentially driving prices to ₹2,69,500–2,70,000 per kilogram. A sustained move below ₹2,65,000, however, could drag prices towards the ₹2,63,000–2,61,000 band.
What's next
Analysts believe the near-term trajectory for both metals will hinge on the evolution of the US-Iran standoff, the path of crude prices and broader global economic signals. Safe-haven demand, they argue, will continue to keep bullion volatile in the sessions ahead.